OSU’s food preservation hotline

As canning season gets underway, the Food Preservation hotline from Oregon State University Extension Service starts taking calls July 15.

The toll-free hotline at 800-354-7319 runs until Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. When the hotline is closed, callers can leave a message. The hotline is staffed by certified Master Food Preserver volunteers in Lane and Douglas counties, but is available statewide.

Low acid foods require pressure canning for safety. Do you fear the pressure canner? Learn how to safely use this handy piece of equipment. During class, participants will prepare and pressure can a...

Join us for a walking tour of the 167-acre Crater View Ranch, known by locals as Hueners Hill. Established in the 1920’s by the Hueners family, their descendants’ mission is to maintain its beauty and...

Celebrate the many ways OSU Extension Service is an active partner in our community. Join us for the Benny Bash 5k Color Run starting at 10am. Register at the park: $10 per person or $25 per family of...

Our Impact. Our Future.

With an established and trusted presence in every county, OSU’s Statewide Public Service Programs offer statewide community-centric engagement that provides access to research, expertise, and relationships essential for Oregon’s social, economic, and environmental needs.

Have a question? Ask an Expert!

Ask an Expert is a way for you to get answers from the Oregon State University Extension Service. We have experts in family and health, community development, food and agriculture, coastal issues, forestry, programs for young people, and gardening.

We are finally moving into our new home. Due to construction issues (lack of water and vehicle damage) most of the grass has died back and there are areas of just dirt. 1. Is there any variety of grass that I can plant now that will grow in the winter? 2. What would be the best material to cover...

Trees all over Oregon are displaying signs of poor health. People are quick to blame insects, but insects are rarely the underlying cause of the problem. Drought and other stressors can make trees vulnerable to pests and disease.

Cattle producers in the West have access to more than 250 fact sheets on quality assurance, nutrition, reproduction, range and pasture, animal health, management, marketing, finance, genetics and natural disasters.

The main goal of a cow-calf operation is to produce one calf per cow per year. Sound reproductive management of the cowherd, using proven methods, is required to accomplish this goal in a manner that is economically efficient and sustains the natural resources of the ranch. A cow that fails to produce a calf for even one year can
represent a net loss to the ranch.

With few exceptions, the goal of most range improvements is to increase returns from the landscape by increasing forage quantity, quality, or animal production. Exceptions might be efforts to reduce wildfire risks, improve wildlife habitat, or increase watershed yields through woody plant control.

Our hope is to make you better acquainted with the important functions of riparian areas on your ranch, give you some ideas on how to manage them effectively, and provide a framework for developing grazing management that incorporates these areas into your overall cattle operation.

By Dustin Johnson,

Kelly Streit (right), Extension Family and Community Health educator, answers questions at the Farmer's Market about preserving foods safely.

Photo by Lynn Ketchum

Get Involved

OSU Extension has more than 13,000 trained volunteers who dedicate time to teaching and enriching their communities. Our "master" level volunteer programs include, gardening, food preservation, woodland management, and beekeeping.